Behind Grey Walls
by SkyyRyder
Summary: UPDATED: Chapter 06 xxx The asylum, she knew, would be her end. She had seen it, but her father signed the dotted line and now she was stuck behind grey walls. xxx Alice's story.
1. Chapter 1: The Asylum

**Disclaimer: **I do not own what is familiar, Stephenie Meyer does. The only thing I own is the unfamiliar. The title thanks to Richard Thompson's song of the same name, which I do not own either.

**A/N: I was in the middle of outlining and researching for my eventual Jasper/Alice story when i suddenly had inspiration for an Alice story. Exploring the world Alice lived in while at the asylum, James hunting her, the vampire that changed her who happened to work at the asylum. I figured I would delve in to what she doesn't know. I hope you all enjoy...**

**

* * *

  
**

**Behind Grey Walls  
**_Written by Skyy Ryder_

**Chapter 01  
_The Asylum_**_  
Biloxi, Mississippi_

Happy; it used to be the only word that could describe Mary Alice Brandon. Recently, however, the best word to describe her was freak. No one believed her; they all thought she was crazy.

Mary Alice claimed to have premonitions, visions of the future. Of course no one would ever believe that something supernatural actually existed. Mary Alice had thought the same thing most of her life, until the first time it happened.

She saved her little sister, Cynthia, from a terrible accident, before it even happened. She had tried to explain it to her mother, but she didn't want to hear it, then she tried her father, and he was even more stubborn than her mother.

She had seen another vision now, she was being held—against her will—in an asylum. As if she were some crazy person. She wasn't crazy, she refused to believe that. She saw these things. It was real.

She was busy now, packing a bag full of clothes, she would runaway from here, away from the parents that didn't believe her and told her sister that she was crazy. She wasn't crazy.

She wasn't.

She had been cycled through her share of therapists' offices and hospitals. She had seen ever doctor from psychologist to specialist in the Biloxi area. Her parents swore that there was something wrong with her. Maybe she was hallucinating or had an illness that made her delusional.

She was sick of the doctors and sick of them not believing her, she was not going to allow for anyone else to stick her with a needle or take a pint of her blood to analyze. They would all come up with the same conclusion, there was nothing physically wrong with her; she was normal.

As normal as a girl could get who could see the future.

"Mary Alice," A voice called from down the hall.

The dark haired girl looked up to her closed door. She had to act quickly. She shoved her last few things in to her bag and glanced to the open window behind her. She slung her bag over her shoulder and grabbed the low black pumps next to her bare feet.

Quickly, she was to the window. She tossed her shoes to the grass below and hauled herself over the window sill and on to the awaiting terrace that was strategically placed below her window.

She was halfway down when she heard her door open in her room, she looked up as if she had been caught and let out a low breath, "Mary Alice?" Her mother's voice showed distress not seeing her eldest daughter in her room. "Mary Alice Brandon, where are you?"

Large brown eyes looked up as her mother's voice got louder. She saw her mother now, hanging half out of the window, "Mary Alice, what on God's Earth are you doing?"

"I am not going to that place, mother."

Mary Alice jumped from the terrace, close enough to the ground now, and grabbed her shoes. She looked up to see her mother's face distort to pure shock. No one had said a word about the asylum around Mary Alice.

"Mary Alice, it is for your own good!" Her mother nearly shrieked as Mary Alice backed away from the house. "Frank!" She called her husband's name. "Frank, go outside and snatch your daughter, she's trying to run away…" She heard her mother's footsteps, loud, in the house.

The front door opened and she moved to run away but she couldn't, her legs wouldn't let her move. She watched as her father's 5'11 frame came towards her. She grabbed the strap on her bag and started to move away from him.

"I'm not going to that place, father." She refused shaking her head. "I'm not crazy!"

Frank grabbed his daughter quickly and held her in place, "This is for your own good, Alice…" He murmured to her. Frank was the only person who dared call her the name she much preferred. Her mother refused to call her just Alice, and her sister wouldn't dare disobey her mother.

"No," She shook her head vigorously. "I will not go, they will only torture me there…" She pursed her lips together. "Kill me, even."

"Alice, we have to get this demon out of you."

"Demon?" Mary Alice stared at her father, large brown eyes narrowing with fear, with anger. "There is no demon inside of me!" She refused to believe that this gift she had was evil.

Frank couldn't say anything more, he held her firmly in her spot as her mother fetched the keys to the car. He couldn't meet her gaze, knowing that he wouldn't be able to go through with this action if he stared in to those smoldering brown eyes.

A large gust of wind hit them, unnatural for such a calm spring day. It rustled the trees around them; it tousled Mary Alice's long, ink-black hair along with its rhythmic motions.

"Frank, let us get a move on…" Margaret Brandon's voice rang from the front door where she was toting her purse and holding the hand of her younger sister, Cynthia.

"I'm sorry Alice," He whispered before dragging her to the car and forcing her in to the back seat.

Mary Alice argued the entire way to the daunting, gothic looking asylum. She already felt less sane as she stepped out of the family vehicle. She leaned against the car, not wanting to go near the building.

"I am not going in there," Mary Alice refused.

She closed her eyes for a moment too long. Like a shockwave, the premonition took over her body, make her open her eyes and stare straight ahead. She saw herself, with short hair, messy and tangled, fighting off a creature that was strong, too strong. All she could hear were her own screams.

She felt the wetness on her cheeks and shook her head, "I can't go in there, I will die…" She stated confidently. "You don't hate me that much that you will sign my death certificate now, do you mother?" She stared at her mother.

"How do you know you will die, Mary Alice?" Her mother grabbed her wrist and forced her to walk along side her. "Another one of your visions?" She asked her voice mocking.

"Yes, in fact, it was." Mary Alice wrenched her arm out of her mother's grasp. "I will not let you put me in this place, they will cut off all my hair and some creature will kill me!" She shouted angrily.

"Mary Alice, you are overreacting…" Frank put a hand on her shoulder and Mary Alice turned around swiftly.

"I am not overreacting, father." She pursed her lips together. "They will torture me; do you know what they do in these places?" She asked. "They will drug me, and they will use 'shock' therapy to help rid me of my demons… there are no demons!" She continued to argue.

"Sh—shock therapy?" Cynthia stuttered from behind her parents. "They won't hurt Mary Alice, will they father?"

Frank looked down at the ground and then back up to meet his eldest daughter's eyes, "Alice,"

Mary Alice watched as her sister's face fell, "Tell me that they aren't going to hurt Mary Alice!" Cynthia's face was turning red, her eyes watering as she looked up at her sister, her role model, her best friend.

"Cynthia, now is not the time—"

Cynthia stopped listening to her mother and ran to her older sister, wrapping her arms securely around her tiny waist and holding her as close as she possibly could.

"Don't go Mary Alice, don't!" She pleaded, her tears falling freely from her eyes now.

Mary Alice felt her heart breaking as she held on to her sister tightly, she looked at her, they were pretty much at eye level, Cynthia—no doubt—was going to be taller than Mary Alice's much smaller frame, one day.

"It's ok Cynthia, I promise…" Mary Alice whispered hugging her through her own tears, knowing that it was a lie.

She was going to die behind these walls. Something or someone was going to hurt her. She had seen it, just as she had seen many things in the past.

"I will take her in, you stay in the car with Cynthia, I don't want to make this any more difficult than it needs to be…" Frank stated looking to his wife.

Margaret ripped Cynthia from her older sister's grasp and pulled her to the vehicle, unwillingly. Mary Alice watched in horror as her father grasped her elbow and pulled her in to the double doors of the asylum.

"I can't believe you're doing this to me," Mary Alice choked out. "I can't…." She whispered harshly.

"Nothing is going to happen to you here, Alice; you will be perfectly fine…" Frank stated as calmly as possible.

He pulled her to the front desk and eyed the woman who sat behind it. She had sandy blonde hair that was pinned back in a low bun, and a white nurse's outfit. She looked up with a faint smile on her lips.

"How may I help you?" She questioned, her smile never faltering.

"I'm here to check in my daughter, I called yesterday." Frank cleared his throat, but kept a firm grip on Mary Alice's arm so she could not flee for the door.

"This is absolutely absurd," Mary Alice grunted through clenched teeth. "I am not crazy, and you know it!"

"Let us not have this conversation now, Alice…" Her father forced a smile as the woman looked through her paperwork. "Surname is Brandon," He instructed.

The woman found what she was looking for; she flipped through several pages and handed the folder and a pen to Frank Brandon. He signed where instructed, not daring to glance at the stubborn girl that he was holding in to place.

"Don't sign the papers, father…" Mary Alice's voice cracked. "Let me go and I'll run away. You won't have to be burdened with me any longer, just let me go, don't let me die in this hell hole…"

"Alice, you know I can't do that," He signed his name for the last time.

"How can you do this?" She felt the tears falling from her eyes more freely now.

She couldn't talk anymore; the sobs took over her body. She slowly slipped out of her father's grip and to the floor, her skirt falling around her elegantly, as she slumped against the desk.

Her father froze and stared down at her, was he doing the right thing? Could he really walk away from his eldest daughter in her time of weakness? The doors near the front desk opened and a man with a wheelchair came to help Mary Alice back to her room.

"I'm going to die here," She shouted to him, through her tears. He could feel his heart breaking as he stepped back from her. "Is that what you want?"

He couldn't speak. He watched as the man lifted her up gracefully and sat her in the chair, but she was a dead weight. She wouldn't move, she refused to look at him. Her perfect make-up was now ancient history. Her face was red and glistening with tears.

He stepped back to the door, "I'm so sorry, Alice…" He murmured before leaving.

* * *

**What do you make of it? Yay or Nay? Do you want to see what I have in store, or have you seen it too much before? (I like to rhyme, sue me... ;)) Let me know! R E V I E W ! !**


	2. Chapter 2: The Gift

**A/N: **I don't really have much to say, but I thank you for the wonderful response. I'm really glad everyone likes this so far. This chapter is a little short, but don't you worry, I'll make up for it (eventually ;)).

* * *

**Chapter 02**_**  
**The Gift_

The man silently wheeled her back, still crying with random outburst of her protests. She was left in a dimly lit room when she felt that all-too familiar feeling.

Another premonition.

She opened her eyes and saw kind dark eyes staring back at her. He had a head of curly black hair, pale skin and an ice-cold touch. He was nice to her, took care of her when others wouldn't.

She smiled faintly at the idea of having a friend here in this place.

She took a minute to remember the things she saw. He was handsome, older, and spoke as if he was from another time. He was going to help her. She knew he would.

She stared at the grey wall in front of her. Her vision left her and she sat patiently waiting for her doctor; the one in her vision. She knew he would be coming. She knew that it was her fate, she had seen it.

She didn't move, she could feel the stiffness on her paled cheeks from her dried tears, but she didn't care. She still couldn't believe that she was here. Perhaps this doctor that she would be seeing would help her escape. Maybe he would believe her. Get her out of this forsaken place.

There was a light knock on the open door, she turned her head just slightly so that she could see the face waiting for her, but she was surprised to see it was not the face she had been expecting. The face had more color than she had seen, and it was less handsome.

This would be the first time her vision was wrong.

"Hello Mary," The man greeted her. "I am Dr. Victors. I will be over seeing your treatment here at Liberty."

Mary Alice looked up at him, daggers in her deep brown eyes. She wasn't sure what bothered her more now, the fact that she was in this place or the fact that her vision had been wrong.

"I don't' need treatment. I am perfect normal." She protested. "Not to mention sane."

He forced a grin, "Of course," He nodded his head of ashy-blonde hair. "We just need to run some tests first." His eyes crinkled as his forced grin seemed to expand.

"That is nothing new," She stared at him with bloodshot eyes. "You will find out what all the others have."

"Oh?" Dr. Victors looked a bit intrigued. "And what might that be Miss Brandon?" He inquired.

"That there is absolutely nothing wrong with me and I am perfectly fine."

The man's false smile didn't falter. He glanced at the paperwork in his hands and back up to Mary Alice, "We shall see," He pursed his lips together before turning to leave. "Make yourself comfortable, Mary."

Mary Alice stared at him before he disappeared around the corner. She turned her attention back to the wall in front of her.

She was mildly upset with herself. The doctor she had seen in her vision looked nothing like the one that had just left. She let herself think for a brief moment that they were all right. That she was making it all up.

The simple thought dwelled and disappeared when she heard someone say hello from the door.

Her head snapped up quickly in the direction of the wonderful voice. The same voice she knew—but didn't.

"You must be Mary Alice," He smiled. Straight, white teeth gleamed at her behind red lush lips. "I am doctor…"

"Carson, I know." Mary Alice replied, not able to take her eyes off of him. She smiled back at him, the first real smile she had put on in several weeks.

"My you are gifted aren't you?" He beamed. "How did you know my name, Mary?" He asked.

"Alice," Mary Alice corrected him, just as she had envisioned moments before. He nodded jotting down a note on the file in his hands. "I saw you in my premonition." She watched him, trying to see how he would react to her words.

"Premonitions?" He questioned shifting through the paperwork.

"Yes," She responded.

He didn't say anything for a moment and then he looked around, "Get settled in," He looked around the bland room. "And then I will take you outside for a walk, and we can talk about your premonitions, how doe that sound?"

"Great," The dark haired girl smiled.

--

Alice was ready for him. She didn't have much to 'unpack' since she only had the few things she stuffed in to her bag before climbing down the side of the house. She sat patiently waiting for his return.

She didn't have to wait long, Doctor Carson stood in the door way moments later that handsome smile lifted on his pale features. Alice rose from her spot on the uncomfortable cot bed and crossed the room to him.

"Shall we?" He asked her.

She answered with a simple nod of her head and he escorted her through several halls before coming to a back door. He held the door open for her and watched as she took a step out in to the fresh air.

"Tell me about yourself, Alice." He instructed.

Alice looked him over and then looked around the gardens of the asylum, they were calming and peaceful; probably to off-set the cries that came from inside of the large grey building. It loomed like death over the beautiful flower beds and bushes.

"Well, I was born in 1901…" She started to tell him the basics about herself, and answered any questions that he interrupted with. "…my life has been pretty normal, aside from seeing the future."

"When did you have your first vision?" He questioned, she could see the wheels turning inside of his head.

"I think I was about ten or so when I realized what they were. I have always had them, but never really though much of them because I was so young." Alice licked her lips. "I was out front with my younger sister, Cynthia…." A small smile fell on her lips at the thought of her sister. "We were playing with a ball, and it accidentally went in to the road…" Her smile faltered. "It was like a flash in the back of my mind. My eyes were open but I could see Cynthia running in to the road to get the ball, she didn't look both ways, and a car hit her—killed her." She continued. "I was able to grab her before she darted out after the ball; the car I saw in my vision flew by us so quickly…" She shook her head. "That was the first time I realized I had a gift…"

"Amazing story," Doctor Carson smiled. "How often do you have these visions?"

"Almost every day," Alice lifted her shoulders. "Sometimes it is something big like saving Cynthia, but most of the time it is small things, like seeing you before you arrived, knowing who people are before I actually meet them…"

"Incredible," He walked close to her, but not too close to make her uncomfortable. She felt comfortable around him, he noted. Maybe she had seen more than she had told him. "Do your visions always come true?"

"Always, unless I change them, like I did with Cynthia." She glanced up at him.

It was overcast and the clouds darkened the sky, leaving no sunlight to hit their skin. She wondered if the doctor ever went out in to the sun, he was unnaturally pale. He asked her more questions which she gladly answered.

"Why do you think you're here?" Carson asked pushing a lock of his dark hair out of his face.

"No one believes me," She looked down at the ground sadly. "Not even after I've seen things, told them about it, and they happen. They just think I'm crazy, or possessed by demons." She felt the tears stinging the back of her eyes.

"I believe you," He admitted.

And he did. Doctor Anthony Carson knew by looking in to Alice's eyes that she was telling the truth. He did not see an ounce of betrayal in those warm brown eyes. He too had a special ability, and he knew that she was something special. He could feel it in the pit of his stomach.

* * *

**So.. Dr. Victors = Creepy, Dr. Carson = Hot (Or at least that's how I picture him). I shall try to find a visual for them both, so we'll see. Maybe Hugh Laurie for Dr. Victors? Haha... anywho. I hope you enjoyed, and I hope you review! :)**


	3. Chapter 3: The Promise

**A/N: **I'm so glad that you guys like this one. I've been working really hard on it, Alice is my main muse right now. She won't leave me alone, though I can't argue, I love her! :)

* * *

**Chapter 03**_  
The Promise_

Her eyes snapped open and she stared up at the ceiling, an overwhelming feeling rushing over her. The familiar sensation as scenes of what to come flashed before her very eyes. She felt a strangled cry escape her lips as the harsh visions caused her to choke on the air entering her esophagus.

She could feel the sweat dripping from her forehead. She breathed heavily trying to grasp control of her heart that was hammering a terrified tattoo. She swallowed hard, her brown eyes searching the darkness, looking for an intruder.

She found nothing.

Fresh tears sprung to her eyes a she wrapped her arms around her legs and rocked back and forth; trying desperately to erase the mental images she had seen. They scared her; they made her fear for her life.

The door to her small room opened and she screamed again, her eyes wide, her hands now gripping in to the starched white sheets of the small cot. She prayed that her vision would choose not o be wrong, she didn't want to die, and not so viciously as she had foreseen.

A handsome face stared back at her. A look of concern washed over the pale face as he closed the door behind him.

"Alice, is everything alright?" He questioned her.

She shook her head, "No," The dark haired girl whispered; barely audible.

Doctor Carson walked in to her room, "Why were you screaming?"

Alice stared at him, the large tears spilling on to her pink-tinged cheeks. She calmed herself, taking a few deep breaths, "My vision, it woke me." She pressed her lips together tightly, fighting off the sob that was ready to come.

"What did you see? What has frightened you so terribly?"

"A monster," She whispered her eyes large. "A pale, handsome monster…" Her eyes never left his. "He came to kill me."

Doctor Carson watched her body tremble with fear. Against his better judgment he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his sold chest. Comforting her. Alice flung her arms around him and cried in to his chest.

The doctor sat very still, holding her in his arms. It seemed like an eternity before she calmed herself down, or cried herself out. Carson pulled her away from his body and looked her in the face.

"Alice, I will not let anything happen to you," He raised a hand to her cheek to wipe away a stray tear.

Alice stared at him as his ice-cold hand brushed her cheek. She couldn't remove her eyes from him as she registered his body temperature. It was probably freezing. Instinctively she grabbed his hand and leaned her cheek in to his cold palm.

"You're so cold," She whispered, sniffling to keep her nose from running. Doctor Carson tried to move his hand, but Alice held it firmly against her face. "It feels nice,"

"Alice," He whispered her name softly, so softly that she almost didn't hear him.

"Yes?" She looked him in the eye. His eyes were a smoldering hue of amber, a color that she had never seen before.

"The monster that attacked you in your vision—" He started, his eyes leaving hers to look down at his lap.

"Is not you," She whispered, catching his gaze again.

Doctor Carson's hand fell from her face; he wasn't sure what to say next, or what to do next. He had never in his many years come across someone like Mary Alice Brandon; someone so unique, someone who knew what he was and didn't run away.

"You are not afraid?" He whispered.

"I know you won't hurt me." She replied straightening her back, her chin lifted just a bit. "You will help me in the end,"

Doctor Carson didn't anything; h e could see the assurance in her eyes. Alice gave him a ghost of a smile, she had seen her future, and it would end soon but she knew at least for the last days of her life that Doctor Carson would be there for her.

"Alice," His voice showed that he was unsure of himself, or what he was about to say. The petite girl's ears perked up. "Your treatment will begin tomorrow,"

"I know what's coming, Doctor Carson," She told him, her voice breaking as she did so.

"And you are not scared?" He pressed his lips together.

"The only thing I'm frightened of is the monster from my vision," She said sadly. "Nothing they can do will make me feel the pain I will when he kills me."

Carson grabbed her face in his hands and stared down at her, those amber eyes burning in to hers, "I will not let that happen,"

Alice smiled at him warmly, lifting her warm hand to his cold face, "If it is meant to happen, it will…"

"We can change it, Alice." He told her carefully stroking his fingers down her cheek, past her jaw line and to her neck.

"And if we cannot?"

"We will, there is no other option."

--

She had fallen asleep that night resting her head against his shoulder, enjoying the comfortable silence that fell between them after that. Alice had never felt so comfortable with someone like she did with Doctor Carson; she had never trusted someone the way that she did him.

"Time to get up," A monotone voice woke her from her sleep.

Alice sat up in her cot and stared at the open door. A older woman who looked anything but nice stood there, her hands on her hips.

"Out of the bed miss, move along."

Alice pushed her covers off of her body and followed the woman to the bathroom; she fell in line with many other young women. Most of them were mumbling nonsense, others were shifty-eyed and looking around as though someone was after them.

She knew then that she did not belong amongst these people. That staying here would only make her crazy. She stared down at her feet and followed through.

"You will be trouble," A woman in a nurse's outfit mused snatching Alice violently out of line. "You will waste too much time." She continued.

Alice wasn't sure what she was talking about, but then she saw it. Her vision clouded with another premonition. She could see two other women holding her down as the woman with the death grip on her arm cut off all of her hair.

Her mouth fell open and she tried to get out of her grasp, "No, you will not!" She cried out, pushing the woman away.

"Oh yes," The woman stared at her with crazy eyes. "Edith, Carol, hold this one down." She grabbed Alice again, this time even rougher than before, pushing her towards the two women she had seen in her vision.

"Not my hair, please, no…" She cried out.

The woman smiled at her and her arms were grabbed by the other two women. The butch looking nurse grabbed a pair of scissors and grabbed a lock of Alice's tangled hair.

Alice thrusted her legs outwards, trying to break free, "No, please don't…. no!" She cried out desperately. She had seen this before that she would have short hair, but she didn't want to believe it. Her beautiful, long hair was going to be gone. She couldn't stand it. "Don't!" She cried out, the tears falling from her eyes.

She tried to push the other women off of her, but it was useless. She was only 4'11 and barely weighed over 100 lbs. There was no possible way she could fight off these brute nurses.

She knew she couldn't fight it any longer; she stopped thrusting out of her seat, and sat still sobbing and crying as her long, ink-black hair was chopped off messily. The nurses let her go and Alice looked down in her lap where a lock of her hair sat carefully on her bare thighs.

She sat holding the piece of hair between her fingers and cried. None of the other patients dared to look at her. She wondered how terrible she looked. She wondered if she would recognize herself.

Standing up from the chair she walked in to the bathroom. Only five small mirrors hung over the sinks, they were covered in what was probably stains and mildew, she could barely see through the scum.

Her reflection came back and nearly scared her. Her hair was messily cut in to short black spikes all over her head, her eyes were blood shot and the area around her eyes was puffy. She looked away from the mirror and glanced at the butch nurse that had cut off all of her hair.

"In the shower, now" She motioned to an open stall.

Alice stared at her for a long hard moment and reluctantly walked in to the shower. She touched her soft spiky hair and felt the tears coming again. She was unrecognizable. What would Doctor Carson think? She wondered turning the water on. She stepped out of the way and waited for the hot water to come, but it never did.

She had to take a cold shower. Her lips chattered; she could handle this. She knew she could. She was strong. She dried off and grabbed the clean gown that was hanging next to her towel and slipped in to it.

The door opened and the nurse grabbed her roughly by the arm and pulled her out.

"Too long," She muttered angrily.

Alice yelped in pain as the nurse's grip tightened and she dragged Alice back to her room. She shoved her in to the room and slammed the door closed behind her.

Defeated, Alice sat down on her cot and stared at the wall, feeling her insides slowly falling apart. She curled up on her uncomfortable bed, pulling her knees in to her chest, wishing for something more.

There was a knock on the door and it swung open seconds later, "Alice," His voice was soft and carried like a musical note throughout the room. She opened her eyes and he stared at her, "Oh Alice,"

Doctor Carson moved to her bed, sitting down next to her curled up frame. He placed a cold hand on her shoulder and looked her over.

"They cut my hair," She squeaked.

"I know," He felt terrible for this. He wished that they hadn't done so.

"I look so hideous," She whispered harshly.

Carson shook his head and brushed his fingertips over her new short hair style. He let his fingers linger there just a moment longer than he probably should have.

"No, Alice." He looked down at her, making sure to make eye contact. "You look beautiful, you will always be beautiful."

* * *

**I figured Alice & Dr. Carson would have some kind of close relationship... though I still haven't found a good person to play him. I'm thinking Matthew Settle but I'm not sure yet.**


	4. Chapter 4: The Treatment

**A/N: **I'm fairly pleased with the way this story is turning out. I hope you all are enjoying it, I'm really enjoying my Alice muse... now only if I can get her to take me shopping ;)

* * *

**Chapter 04**_  
The Treatment_

Doctor Carson left her shortly after; he made sure to remind her of her impending treatment. Before he left the room he let her know that he would be by later to check up on her.

Alice found herself staring blankly at the wall she had thoroughly memorized yesterday. She felt that familiar twinge in her stomach; a premonition was coming. She wound the sheets of the bed in her hands, preparing for the worst.

The visions were fuzzy; they weren't clear at all. They were chopped up, as if different pieces of her future were being decided upon, but the person making the decision wasn't sure. The vision changed several different times, it was the same scenario but with different outcomes.

She felt her heartbeat quicken as the scenes became more and more graphic. She could barely focus, she could barely breath.

The monster; she recognized him. His white teeth gleamed at her. She was backing away asking him why he was doing this. She was asking him who he was.

_James_. She heard his name ringing in her ears. She stared at him, memorizing his face.

The door opening didn't pull her from her vision. She could faintly hear the voice of a nurse, maybe a doctor telling her it was time for treatment. She could see him approaching her, licking his lips as if she were the most delectable thing on the face of the planet.

"Don't…" She whispered out loud.

"Mary Alice, it is time for your treatment, snap out of it…" The nurse grabbed her swiftly from her spot and Alice stared at her in shock.

The dark haired girl blinked several times, letting the vision slip away. She couldn't hold on to it any longer, it was fading away fast. She didn't want to see it; she didn't want to see herself die—again.

"You are a strange girl," The nurse mumbled forcing her out in to the hallway.

She forced her to a staircase and they walked up to the next floor. Alice could hear screaming, crying, yelling and things thudding behind closed doors.

She swallowed hard. She knew what they would be doing to her. They would drug her; keep her off kilter with a mixture of different relaxants or tranquilizers. Then they would use shock therapy to make her 'better'. She pursed her lips as the nurse tossed her in to a plain white room.

It seemed dirty, she looked around; everything seemed so unsanitary. She didn't want to sit down. She stood perfectly still in the middle of the room.

"Doctor Victors will be with you in a moment." She slammed the door closed behind her.

The chair next to her had restraints for arms and legs. It looked more like a torture room than any medical room she had ever seen.

Doctor Victors came in to the room; a smile that was forced was resting on his thin, cracked lips, "After your tests yesterday," Doctor Victors sat down and motioned for Alice to follow.

Alice gave a simple shake of her head and remained standing.

"You found that I'm completely normal, right?" She crossed her arms over her chest, staring at the doctor wondering if they would let her go.

The tall man looked down from her steady gaze, pretending to look as though he were trouble with what he had to say to her. He looked back up and shook his head.

"Unfortunately, we found some abnormalities in the results,"

"Abnormalities? Like what exactly?" Alice pressed. She wrapped her arms tighter around her small frame.

"Nothing your young mind would understand, Mary Alice. "He insisted.

"I am smarter than you would think, doctor." She continued to argue.

"You are sick, Mary Alice."

"I am not." She moved forward. "I am perfectly healthy."

"You think you are. You see what you want to see Mary Alice." He continued as he stood from his seat. "We need to start your treatment immediately if there is any hope for you."

"No," She backed away from him. "I'm not going to let you turn me in to a zombie like the rest of them." She moved quickly around the torture chair and tried to get away from him. She tried to make it to the door but there was a nurse waiting on the other side.

The nurse grabbed her wrists, clenching them tightly within her grasp and wrenched her back in to the chair. The nurse and Doctor Victors worked quickly to tighten the restraints around her wrists and ankles. She wouldn't be able to move once they were done.

"Betty," Doctor Victors looked to the nurse. "Be careful, this one is a little_ high_ strung…" He mused going to the desk behind him to prepare Alice. "We will be giving her a sedative before her electro-shock therapy." He pulled a few things from his desk and crossed back to the chair. "Just relax Mary Alice," He cooed to her as she struggled against the restraints. "You won't feel a thing,"

--

"Alice, Alice… wake up…" The voice that lulled behind her heavy eyelids sounded like a choir of perfectly tuned instruments. The voice was comforting; she knew that voice.

"Doctor Carson," She whispered her head was fuzzy, she could not think straight. She could not remember what happened, she did not realize where she was; she only knew that voice.

"Yes Alice, it is I…" He stroked his cold, smooth fingers over her tear-stained cheeks.

"Where am I?" She mumbled unintelligibly.

"In your room," Doctor Carson stated softly, his oddly colored eyes sweeping over her quickly.

Alice's eyes became more alert as she looked around, "This is not my room," She mumbled her eyes heavy, her speech slow.

"Alice, you are still at Liberty…" He told her, his voice not showing any emotion.

"No, no." She shook her head and buried her face in to the pillow.

"I'm afraid it is true," Doctor Carson's eyebrows knitted together.

Alice mumbled in to her pillow, still not fully coherent. She felt like dead weight.

"Doctor Carson," A voice came from the door. The young Doctor looked up and met the gaze of a beautiful young nurse. He gave her a curt smile and she held a folder to her chest, giving him her best lustful eyes. "Doctor Victors would like the patient downstairs for treatment."

Carson nodded his head solemnly and pulled the wheelchair closer to the bed. He effortlessly scooped Alice's small frame in to his arms, placing her in the wheelchair. He pushed the wheel, one hand clasped on her shoulder, gingerly.

The nurse gave him a once over before returning back to the nursing station. Carson didn't so much as give her a second look, she was nothing to him. Just another skirt that thought she wanted him because he was mysterious—dangerous even.

He pushed forward, taking the ramp down to the basement where most of the therapy treatments were given. He swallowed hard, he didn't know if he could do this. He didn't know if he could hurt Mary Alice the way that Doctor Victors intended.

He and Victors both knew that there was nothing wrong with Alice, but Victors could not let her go. He couldn't. Her parents had claimed her deceased the moment she was checked in to the hospital. Carson had overheard the conversation between Victors and the girl's mother.

Maybe that was why he had fallen attached to her. He knew her fate was to stay locked up in this place drugged like a zombie, like the rest of them. Altered test results would show that she was suffering from hallucinations and a new type of mental disorder called schizophrenia.

This young woman had a gift, she was special. He knew he had to do what he could to protect her; unfortunately, he wouldn't be able to protect her from Doctor Victors.

Victors knew of his secret, threatened to expose him for what he was if he tried to do anything but sign the paperwork that would admit all of these healthy girls in to this place. He was being blackmailed, but this was his life. He could not afford to lose what he had worked so hard to get.

Other young girls that came before Alice, he didn't have an attachment to. They were nothing to him, much like the flirtatious nurse back on the ground floor. He could watch them go through this therapy without blinking an eye. He wasn't so sure he would be able to do the same with Alice.

She was different for him. He knew that the moment he laid eyes on her.

Alice didn't say a word as Carson picked her up without hesitation and gracefully placed her on to the table. The dark haired nurse that stood by Doctor Victors, dutifully, came quickly to restrain Alice down on to the table.

"Doctor Carson…" Victors nodded to him briefly, his eyes narrowing just a bit to register Alice's reaction as the nurse applied the electrodes to her temples.

Carson noticed the bemused look on his face as Alice lay there serenely, not looking bothered by what was to come Even sedated most patients would scream, yell, kick, bite, and thrash against the restraints—not Alice.

She had shown out earlier before the sedation, but she knew her fate. She knew that this was coming; there was no use to fight it now. She had seen this coming; she was prepared to withstand the torture.

She was aware of a much stronger, much more painful future for herself. One that would be inflicted upon her by a monster named _James_.

* * *

**I will be adding pictures to my homepage soon with pictures of the characters. At least the doctors (Doctor Victors & Doctor Carson). I like to have people picked out, because it's easier for me to visualize... :)**


	5. Chapter 5: The Friend

**A/N: **I kind of like how the end of this chapter turned out. I, like I'm sure many of you, went out and bought the Twilight DVD this weekend. I much enjoyed all the behind the scenes, deleted scenes and extended scenes. And it just made me love Alice and Jasper even more. Why? I don't know. For Jasper I believe it has everything to do with the baseball scene... don't ask... it's just hot.

* * *

**Chapter 5**_  
The Friend_

The treatment had begun just a few weeks ago and Alice had not really been herself. Doctor Carson had even noticed this; she was beginning to act like all the other zombie patients around Liberty.

She spent most of her days sitting in her room, staring blankly ahead, not moving. Doctor Carson was never sure if she was trying to mature her ability or if she was just sitting and staring.

Doctor Victors was becoming impatient with her lack of response to the treatment. Alice didn't struggle anymore. She no longer fought the sedation or the shock therapy. Victors was beginning to think there was more wrong with the young girl than just hallucinations.

That was until he saw tears escaping her eyes at yesterday's session.

Carson had seen the glint of amusement in the older doctor's eyes and it made him sick to his stomach. He could not believe that this would actually be enjoyable to the older doctor to see a young woman, who still had a full life ahead of her, go through this agonizing pain.

He cared for Alice, and he showed it every night he watched her sleep; everyday that he took care of her after her treatments. He was there for her.

Alice sat quietly in her room as usual. She was not going to let this treatment get to her. Doctor Carson had been extremely busy the past few days and she found herself spending more time alone and in the dark. The more time she spent alone the more she spent trying to work on her gift.

"Mary Alice," A middle aged nurse came to her door. She recognized her as Nurse Anita Gilbert. She was one of the nicer nurses at Liberty. Alice did not say anything; her brown eyes stared at the nurse lifelessly. "You should join us in the lounge," She gave a polite smile.

"No, thank you." Alice replied curtly.

Anita frowned, "It would be good for you to interact with some of the other girls,"

Alice felt a familiar feeling crash over her, like a tidal wave. She saw a desperate young girl with hair cropped short and messy—eyes glazed over. She watched carefully as the girl took a pair of scissors that were hiding and used as much force as she possibly could to cut in to her skin.

Red blood seeped out on to the floor, hazel eyes rolling in to the back of the girl's head. Alice swallowed hard, fighting off the vision; she did not want to see anymore of this. The girl's name echoed in her head.

She looked to Anita quickly and nodded, "Ok,"

She stood up slowly and met the surprised nurse at the door. Anita smiled and led her to the lounge. It was down the hall and to the right, she remembered from the tour Doctor Carson brought her on.

She entered the lounge that was busy with many other young women like her. She searched desperately to find the face from her vision; she didn't see it. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest rapidly.

She saw this terrible vision, was she supposed to stop it from happening? Change the outcome? That was how she felt. She was given this gift for a reason, was she not? Why had she been given this gift if not to help other people?

She turned to the older nurse, "Anita."

"Yes Mary Alice?" She answered.

"Do you have a patient named Nan?" She asked as the door behind them opened.

"Why yes," Anita glanced behind her and then back at Alice. She was not sure how the girl knew about Nan, she did not associate with anyone, how could she possibly—the room around them stiffened. Anita turned again and looked at the young woman who entered the lounge. "Actually, this is Nan…"

Alice saw the dull hazel eyes before anything else. The familiarity of them frightened her. The girl who had walked in stared at Anita, confused for a moment. Her eyes then turned to Alice.

"How about you girls sit down and talk?" Anita pressed her hand against Alice's back and pushed her towards the rest of the zombie-like, comatose girls.

"How do you know my name?" Nan asked her eyes bloodshot and staring in to Alice's deep brown ones.

Alice stared at her for a moment; she was already in the asylum, no harm in telling people her secret if she was already going to be tortured for it. She took a deep breath and sat down.

"My name is Alice. I have visions that allow me to see in to the future," Alice told her. "I have foreseen that we will be friends," She smiled at her, forced, but she did not think that the girl would be able to tell through the sedative that was running its course through her body.

"You and I?" The girl asked her hands shaking as she played with the cloth of her shirt.

"Yes, we will be great friends." She nodded her head hoping that this was exactly what the girl needed.

"I have never had friends before," The girl looked at her nervously.

"Never?"

"No, they are all afraid of me." She looked around carefully.

"Why is that?" Alice questioned her hands in her lap as she looked at the girl curiously. She was definitely intrigued by this girl. There was something about her that made Alice want to help her, to protect her from herself.

"I do not know," Nan stated her head cocked to the side. "Maybe some of them use their '_abilities_' to sense that I am not a good person," She looked at Alice. "But you see us being friends?"

"I do," Alice smiled and put a hand on top of Nan's. "I will be here for you,"

Alice saw a hint of a smile on Nan's face before the girl's eyes darkened. Alice looked around and noticed a nurse coming towards them. Nan pursed her lips together and looked back to Alice.

"Who is that?"

"That is Nurse Gunther," Nan's lips pressed in to a thin line. "She is the devil."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because she is." Nan stated her cheeks flushed. "She used to be a patient here, a long time a go; one of Doctor Victors' first success stories." She made a sound with her lips that sounded as if she did not believe what she was saying. "His only success story, she is a lunatic."

That was when Mary Alice recognized her. She was the same plump Nurse that decided to cut off all of her hair; the crazy woman who harassed her every time she was going to take a shower. She had always thought that there was something mentally wrong with that woman, and now it made perfect sense.

"I see," Alice nodded her head.

"She is evil." Nan shook her head. "You are not." She decided firmly.

"Is that your ability?" Alice questioned. "You can see who is evil and who is not?"

"Sometimes," Nan nodded her head she rocked back and forth in her seat, she was no longer looking at Nurse Gunther, and instead she was staring at the ground. "It is hard to tell sometimes."

"Doctor Victors?" Alice questioned.

"The devil himself," She said immediately. "He wants us all to die. He wants to experiment on our dead bodies."

"Really?" Alice asked confused.

"Really." Nan confirmed.

Alice swallowed hard and looked around at all of the young unsuspecting girls. Nan snapped her head up to look at her and Alice sat back in to her chair a little, taken aback.

"He hurts some of the younger girls." She whispered.

"He hurts all of us," Alice stated firmly.

"Not like he hurts them." Nan shook her head.

Alice sat quietly and wondered exactly what Nan meant. She did not want to push it. She would let Nan open up to her, so that they could become friends. She looked Nan in the eye and asked her most important question.

"What about Doctor Carson?"

A hint of a smile formed on Nan's lips when Alice said this. She blinked for a moment and her large eyes narrowed in on Alice.

"Doctor Carson is both good and evil." She mused. "He is a good mixture of both."

Alice felt her insides twist. She already knew this, but maybe Nan's assumptions weren't off. Maybe she did have a gift, a gift much like Alice had. She smiled at her and wondered if she would be able to save her; if she would be able to stop the outcome that she had foreseen.

--

"Alice," That familiar voice rang in her ears, she looked up from her spot on the wall and smiled to the handsome doctor.

"Doctor Carson," She looked back to the wall.

"I am terribly sorry that I've been busy as of late…" He apologized and she lifted her head to look at him once again.

"It is alright, doctor, I have been keeping myself busy," She answered.

"I have heard through some of the staff that you have made a friend?" Doctor Carson asked he took a seat at the edge of her bed.

"I have," She confirmed. "Her name is Nan."

"Nan?" Doctor Carson raised an eyebrow to her, his perfect face contorted awkwardly.

"Yes, is there something the matter?" Alice questioned.

"She does not seem like the type to—"

"Have friends?" Alice interrupted him.

"Well, yes…"

"I saw her," Alice explained looking at him carefully. "I saw her dying; I could not let that happen."

"Alice, you cannot save everyone…"

"No, but I can try." She said firmly.

A few beats passed and Carson stood up from his spot, "Shall we go for a walk?"

Alice looked up to him and nodded. She was glad that she had Doctor Carson here, and now after a few days, she was able to get Nan to open up. She was starting to talk to Alice about herself and about her life before Liberty.

"Can I ask you a question?" Alice proposed as they stepped out under the darkened night's sky.

"Of course, anything." He nodded, she had looped her arm through his, and her touch was gentle and warm. Doctor Carson found himself trying his best to ignore the urges he was feeling. He couldn't let himself do anything stupid. Not with Alice.

"Does Doctor Victors hurt the younger girls?" She pressed her lips together in wonderment.

Doctor Carson's face was puzzled at first; he wondered where this came from. He was curious to know where she might have heard this information. It was common knowledge amongst the staff at Liberty to not discuss Doctor Victors and his _ways_.

"What ever do you mean, Alice?" His eyes focused on the walkway ahead of them.

"I don't mean like he hurts us." She pressed a hand to her chest.

Doctor Carson looked up at the sky and then back down to Alice, "Alice, I cannot answer that question without breaking rules that I cannot break…"

Alice's lips turned down at the corners and she nodded her head, "I understand, Doctor Carson."

They continued their walk amongst the garden, Doctor Carson changed the subject back to Nan and how Alice had befriended her. He wanted to know more about why she had done this, delve more in to her psyche, it was his job after all.

"I feel like I was given this gift for a reason," Alice retorted. "I have to do something with it."

"What if it means endangering yourself?" Doctor Carson wondered. He knew of Nan, and he knew that she had had psychotic breaks during her stay here at Liberty. He did not want Alice to be on the receiving end of one of her attacks.

"I do not believe that I would be endanger, Nan likes me."

"I do not doubt that, Alice. However, Nan has a history of violence," He recalled the trip to the hospital he and one of the nurses had to take after Nan attacked one of the older girls. It was not pretty.

"She needs a friend, she is lonely."

"For a reason," Doctor Carson pressed.

"Doctor Carson," Alice turned to look up at him. "I do not care if Nan was a bad person, I do not believe that she is still like that. There is good inside of her."

"She could harm you, Alice."

"I can take care of myself." Alice pressed her eyes narrowed in on him. Carson froze in his spot, Alice's stare was deadly. She pinned him to his spot with just a glance.

"I am sorry, Alice." He apologized. "I just feel like I need to protect you, that is all…" He continued as he pushed her to continue walking.

Alice settled in step next to him and sighed, "You should not feel that way."

"I know." He breathed. "Trust me, Alice, I know."

He had never felt the need to protect someone the way he felt he needed to protect her. Alice stared up at him; his cold fingers brushed her bare arm. He gave her a polite smile, which she returned.

"How did you see Nan dying?" He questioned.

"She killed herself." Alice stared ahead. She stopped walking and stared blankly ahead as a vision washed over her sight.

"Alice? Alice what do you see?" Doctor Carson questioned his hand gripping her arm firmly, but not enough to cause any harm to her fragile frame.

"Blood," She whispered. "Everywhere there is blood." She felt her body tremble.

"Nan's?" He asked carefully, they had just been speaking of her foreseen suicide.

"No," She whispered her voice quivering, her knees went weak and she lost herself.

"Who's blood, Alice?"

"Mine," She couldn't hold herself, her sight went blurry before it went black and she fell.

Quickly, Doctor Carson was able to catch her before she fell to the ground. He lifted her up in to his arms and carried her back towards Liberty's doors. He wanted to know what she had seen. He needed to get her back in her room.

He licked his lips, trying desperately to fight off the want to press his mouth to her exposed neck. The desire he felt deep inside of him that raged a war against his morals. He knew better, he could not succumb to the call of her blood, he couldn't allow it.

He would not jeopardize his life or hers for his weakness.

* * *

**So, Alice has a friend. Yay. We like friends. Anywho, I've added visuals to my homepage, except I don't think I've added Nan's. Until I can add her, picture Clea DuVall, thats who I envisioned. Enjoy, R&R!  
**


	6. Chapter 6: The Visitor

**A/N: **I do apologize for the delay in my updating, but I've been trying my damnedest to update this story. I've outlined the rest of it and there will be 10 Chapters all together. I've been thinking about doing a Alice/Jasper story which I have started, but I'm not sure if I will continue it or not. The inspiration has kind of fizzled for that one. I might however do a Jasper story, kind of like how I have done with Alice. I actually have been thinking about doing these little numbers for each of the Cullens, but we shall see. If you all are interested I will continue with these Before pieces.

* * *

_Chapter 6_**  
The Visitor**

Alice's eyes fluttered open, her head was pounding incredulously. She couldn't remember much of what transpired before waking up in her room, on her cot-like bed. She had been talking to Doctor Carson; she had a vision and then nothing.

She tried to remember what she saw but her memory was scattered. Wearily, she sat forward grasping her head.

"Alice?" That familiar voice chimed.

Her eyes fell on Doctor Carson leaning carefully against the door frame. He crossed th room to her bed, sitting on the very corner.

"How do you feel?"

"Unstable," She replied truthfully.

"Do you remember your vision at all?" Carson questioned her.

Alice bit down on her bottom lip and thought deeply. Could she remember what she had seen? Closing her eyes, she took a few short, calming breaths. Relaxing her mind she was able to conjure up the images.

"He is a monster." She whispered softly. "He will track me down, he will find me."

"Do you know anything about him, Alice?" Carson pressed her for more information. "Do you know his name? What he looks like?"

Alice opened her eyes, "I heard his name once," She pressed her lips together. "James." She replied.

She stared blankly ahead and Carson reached out to touch her arm. She didn't move, simply stared ahead of her at the wall. Carson moved just a fraction closer to her; he didn't want to get too close.

"Alice,"

"He's running through a forest," She whispered, continuing to stare blankly. "He has a scent, he's following it."

She got up, still staring straight ahead. She grabbed a marker that was sitting on her empty desk and found a sheet of paper. Alice quickly started to sketch a face; a face that Carson had not seen before. Her sketch became more elaborate and she found herself breathing heavily as her hands flew across the paper sketching the face that appeared in her mind's eyes.

She stopped and looked up at him, "This is him."

Her voice was barely above a whisper, but Carson could hear her perfectly. He studied the face. It was the face of a cold-blooded monster.

Sharp features stared back at him.

He looked to Alice and for the first time he saw the fear in her eyes. He saw how scared she was on him; of this creature that she had seen in her visions.

He felt it more now than he had before; the intense need to protect her. To keep her away from this monster. He knew that this _James_ would do Alice harm and he was not going to allow that to happen.

He grabbed the picture and tucked it away in his jacket pocket.

He placed a hand on her pale shoulder, "I won't let anything happen to you Alice. You have my word."

Alice walked in to the lounge where she had been spending a lot of her afternoons now with Nan. The two would talk for hours about anything and everything, just getting to know each other, talking about the nurses, talking about the doctors, talking about the other patients.

"Why are you here?" Nan asked out of the blue. Her usually dull eyes were vibrant with the question.

"What do you mean?" Alice questioned back.

"You are not like most of the girls that come here. Most of them did not have families, or their families were just as crazy as them." She pressed her thin lips together. "You don't seem like you are from that kind of family."

"My parents," The dark haired girl sighed. "They didn't believe me about my visions." She lifted a shoulder sadly. "It was my mother's idea to put me here."

Nan's face fell a little, "Mine as well." She took Alice's hand and squeezed it tightly.

Alice gave her a small smile. She felt her heart pounding out of her chest. Something wasn't right. She could feel it. Something was terribly wrong.

--

Doctor Carson walked in to the filing room. His eyes narrowed as he caught a distinct smell. A smell that he knew could only mean one thing. He followed the scent to the backdoor.

How had this creature gotten in to Liberty? It was not possible. The door was locked from the inside, so you could not enter without a key or a code. He decided to poke his head out of the door, the scent was fresh, and he could tell it had not been long since the other creature was around.

Had any of the girls been hurt? He had not heard anything and there was bound to be chaos if something terrible like one of his kind was in an asylum full of young women. Most with blood that smelled sweet as honey.

The thought alone rendered a picture of Alice in his mind. Beautiful, fragile Alice. He had made a promise to protect her and he would. With everything he had he would save her from her fate.

He would do whatever it took to keep that promise.

He pulled himself back in to the hall of Liberty and took a deep breath. There was something going on around here and he did not like it. He had to make a plan to get Alice out of here. To get her away from the danger that loomed around the air at Liberty.

"What the hell am I going to do?" He asked himself out loud.

--

"Nan," Alice turned to look at her friend as they walked back to their rooms. Nan's small room was only three doors down from hers.

"Yes Alice?" Nan smiled to her. The smile was forced, but Alice knew that she was doing the best she could.

"Do you feel like something bad is going to happen?" She asked carefully.

Nan's eyes darkened a bit in color, her gaze moving from Alice's face to the floor. She did not want to answer Alice. She knew that her answer would only damper the mood around them.

"Be honest with me." Alice pressed.

That was all she ever asked from Nan, that she be honest. She did not want anything else. She was not looking for anything out of Nan except for friendship and truth.

Nan looked back up to meet Alice's honey-brown gaze, "Something very bad is coming to us…" She whispered softly.

"How bad?"

Nan hummed lowly for a moment, "You should leave, Alice, before it is too late." She stated her eyes showing her urgency. "Death walks the halls everyday, searching for a new soul to bring to hell."

Alice took a step back from her friend and stared at her. Her honesty was brutal and Alice was expecting it, but it did not make it any easier to hear. She swallowed hard and put a comforting hand on Nan's shoulder.

"Nothing is going to happen to us here, Nan." She reported.

Nan shook her head a smirk on her lips, "Do not be so naïve Alice," Nan shrugged her shoulders. "Death is inevitable. Our parents, our families have sent us here to die, and that is exactly what we are going to do here."

Alice shook her head; though she knew it was true, she could not believe it. She had to find a brighter side to this. She was generally very good at that, but after a second though, she could not think of anything good about this situation.

"You should run, Alice." Nan repeated. "Before the darkness consumes you…"

Nan shrugged off Alice's hand and stepped in to her room, slamming the door in her face for emphasis. Alice stared at the dark grey door and sighed heavily.

She did not expect for Nan to say some of those things, though she could feel it all the way to the very core of her being that something was wrong. Desperately wrong.

Carson made himself busy, or at least he tried to. He saw more than his usual number of patients, and checked on Alice in between each patient. Every time he got around to asking her what was plaguing her something came up. He had barely been able to get two words out of her. She assured him that she was fine, but he didn't believe it.

He settled himself after an interesting session with Abigail Clemens and maneuvered his way down the hall to Alice's room. He wanted to sit down and pry out something more from her. Something more than an "I am fine."

He was certain if he would get it. But he was going to try.

"Alice," He knocked lightly on her door, grabbing her attention. She gave him a small forced smile. "Care to tell me what is on your mind, my dear?"

Alice looked back at her wall and lifted her shoulders, "Nothing, Doctor Carson, I am fine."

"I do not believe you." Carson sat down on the bed next to her. "I can help you,"

"How?" She questioned, she could feel the tears making themselves known now.

She was not strong enough to hold them back any longer. She could not deny it. Nan's words scared her. They scared her to death. She did not want to have death looming around her.

"I do not know yet, Alice, you have to tell me what is troubling you first…"

Alice did not say anything for several beats. Carson was beginning to get impatient. He wanted to get down to the bottom of this. Alice was not acting like herself he and wanted—no he needed to know what was going on with her.

--

Doctor Carson left Alice's room. They had a long talk, and the discussion revolved mostly around Nan. He knew that Alice felt the need to protect Nan, but he felt the need to protect her and Nan wasn't the friendliest person at Liberty.

She had a history of psychotic breaks and even though Alice was convinced that Nan would never hurt her. Doctor Carson wasn't so sure.

He had to sit somewhere by himself and think of a plan. How was he going to keep Alice safe? How was he going to keep her from running in to this monster that was stalking her premonitions?

He was deep in his thoughts, sitting on his bench; letting the beauty of the gardens settle his racing thoughts when he heard someone shouting his name.

"Doctor Carson, you are needed in the lobby…"

"What is going on Elizabeth?" He questioned carefully, following her in to the building.

"There is a man up front; he is asking to see his sister…" Her eyes were large.

"There is something else?"

"Sir, he is… he is very dangerous looking…" Elizabeth pressed her lips together worriedly.

"Who is he asking to see?" Carson questioned looking around to make sure all of the doors were closed for his patients.

"Nancy Amos."

Nan? Someone was here to see Nan?

This had to be a mistake, he studied Nan Amos' file a hundred times over when she first came to Liberty. No one in her family had ever stopped by to see her. He felt a knot form in his stomach.

This wasn't good. He could feel the danger that Elizabeth spoke of. This wasn't Nan's brother. He should have known that the second Elizabeth said someone was in the lobby.

After coming to Liberty, no patients ever received visitors. Ever.

"Make sure none of the girls leave their rooms, do you understand me?" He questioned. "I want someone outside of each one of these rooms, even if you have to get Doctor Victors down here himself." He mused glancing at Elizabeth who looked completely shell-shocked. "Now," He urged her.

Elizabeth blinked and scurried off down the hall shouting for all of the nurses. He was going to have to settle this.

He walked in to the lobby coolly, trying to look as casual as possible. He noticed the woman at the front desk was sitting as far back away from her desk as possible. He stood behind her, placing a calming hand on her shoulder.

"Hello, I am Doctor Carson, may I help you?" His eyes narrowed in on the creature before him.

He was definitely thinking on the right path earlier. This person who was posing to be Nan's brother was in fact a creature of the worst kind. His eyes were nearly black, and his lips were pulled in to a sneer.

"I would like to see my sister," He cocked his head to the side; his dark eyes challenging the good doctor's.

"I am sorry, but visiting hours are over." Carson pointed to the sign behind him that posted the visiting hours. His voice was stern and his eyes were narrowed in.

"I just need to see her for a moment," The man continued, his wild blonde hair was hanging around his face and his skin nearly translucent.

Carson stepped from around the desk and inspected the man. He wore tattered pants, a torn tee-shirt and no shoes. Carson knew that he was nomadic. He could tell just by his appearance. He lifted his chin.

"We should step outside,"

The blonde haired creature stared at him for a second longer than he should have, and moved to the double doors. Carson followed after him.

He could feel his emotions starting to take over. He was angry, he was scared, and he was guilt-stricken. He did not know what to do with himself, or how he was going to handle this.

"Listen to me," Carson started as he sneered at the monster in front of him. "You stay away from my hospital, and away from my girls. Do you under stand me?"

A small smirk spread across handsome, yet dangerous, features. The creatures headed lulled to the side and he lazily looked around.

"This will be fun," He mused.

Carson was on the verge of jumping on this evil being, but before he could think twice about it he was gone. He felt his jaw set tightly. This was not good. He should have just done what he wanted to instinctively.

He should have pounced on the evil monster and torn him to shreds. That's what he wanted to do. That's what he needed to do in order to protect Alice. He looked around and quickly searched the premises.

He walked back in to the double doors of Liberty only seconds later to see the woman behind the desk was still shaking. He gave her a small reassuring smile.

"Do not worry Marybeth, everything is fine."

But it was not, and he knew it. He knew that this creature would be back. He could see it all over his face. His visitor was going to come back and he was going to try and take Alice away from him.

He walked back to his office and closed the door, leaning his forehead against the cold oak. This was going to be bad and it would probably get worse before it even got better.

* * *

**So the evil bastard has made himself known. Rawr! Thoughts?**


End file.
